Display Apparatus with Display Switching Modes

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a display apparatus with display switching mode, the display apparatus includes a display device; an image mode switch device formed corresponding to the display device, wherein the image mode switch device includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first electrode set on a side of the liquid crystal layer; a second electrode set between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer; a third electrode set on another side of the liquid crystal layer; and a voltage providing device electrically coupled to the image mode switch device to supply different voltage to the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode for switching displaying mode; the display apparatus may display the 2D, 3D and IP stereo image by using the electrodes with different pattern and voltage with different voltage on the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a three-dimension (3D) displayapparatus, and more particularly, to a display apparatus for switchingthe display modes among two-dimension (2D), three-dimension (3D),Integral Photography (IP) images by altering the electrical fielddistribution to change the optical property of the liquid crystal lensto switch the display mode.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The image display technology is continuously developed from the grayscale, true color into the stage of high definition to achieve thepurpose of vivid and nature display. Therefore, the next generationdisplay towards the development of three-dimension display.

Typically, the three dimension images are created through the user's eyeby the stereo image theory which is based on that the images caught byeach eye are different. Namely, when the eyes are separated with 5-7 cm,the images caught by the two eyes are slightly distinguishable, it leadsto the result of visual difference. Thus, the traditionalthree-dimension image is obtained by the visual difference effect so asto allow the left eye only receives the left-eye image while the righteye only receives the right-eye image.

Typically, the visual difference based three-dimension image needsspecial design equipment to achieve the goal, the typical methods isintroduced as follows:

The first type introduces the polarized glasses which includes ahorizontal polarized glass and a vertical polarized glass for each eyeto allow the left eye receive the horizontal polarized image and theright eye receive the vertical polarized image. The display apparatusmay radiate the horizontal polarized left-eye image and the verticalpolarized right-eye image, respectively. By the method, the left eye ofthe user may receive the horizontal polarized left-eye image while theright eye of the user may receive the vertical polarized right-eyeimage, thereby creating the three-dimension image. However, thepolarized glasses will be failure when the head of the user inclines soas not allow the polarizer completely polarizes the light which passesthrough the glasses. It will case the user uncomfortable.

Another type involves the usage of red-blue (green) glasses. Thetechnical introduces the displaying of the left, and right images byusing the red-blue (green) glasses to allow the user receive the leftand right images by each eye, respectively, thereby creating thethree-dimension image after receiving the left and right images throughthe red-blue (green) glasses. However, the shortcoming of the type ofthe three-dimension image displaying is that the true color of theoriginal image cannot be re-built by using the red-blue (green) glasses.The third type of the prior art involves the usage of the shuttleglasses. The image displaying apparatus will transmit odd images andeven images to the shuttle glasses, respectively. If the odd images areset to act the right-eye images while the odd images are defined as theleft-eye images, when the odd images are transmitted, the left eye willbe covered by the shuttle glasses. Similarly, when the even images aretransmitted, the right eye will be covered by the shuttle glasses so asto allow the uses may watch the three-dimension image. Another type iscalled helmet type image display which has two liquid crystal displayson the glasses directly, the uses receives the left and right eye imagesthrough the two displays by the left and right eyes, respectively. Themethod omits the red-blue (green) glasses to avoid the shortcoming.However, not only the cost of the equipment is high, but also the numberof the user to watch the images is limited.

No matter the cost of those prior art is, all of the prior artsmentioned above require the glasses for the user to wear on. It is notfriendly to the user at all. Thus, the recent development is mainlyfocus on the glasses free three-dimension image display apparatus.

One of the types which involve the glasses free three-dimension imagedisplay apparatus is called visual-difference bare-eye three-dimensionimage display apparatus which is designed based on the visual differencephenomena. Under the scheme of the visual-difference bare-eye design, aparallax or optical grating is set before the liquid crystal display.The display transmitted the left-eye image and right-eye image insequence. The parallax functions to allow the right-eye and left-eyereceive the right-eye and left-eye images, respectively. The signals ofthe right-eye and left-eye images will be re-constructed by the brain ofthe user, thereby achieving the three-dimension image.

In addition to the above glasses free three-dimension image displayapparatus, a further equipment free three-dimension image technicalinvolves Integral Photography (IP) technology which is developed since1908. The major principle of the IP uses the fly's eye lens to catch thestereo images from different angle. The fly's eye lens simulates thearrangement of the eye of the fly to arrange pluralities of tiny lens inan array configuration. Namely, pluralities of semi-sphere lens arearranged within a planar in an array from for catching image. TheIntegral Photography (IP) technology involves two major steps, the firstone may refer to FIG. 1A, an image capture device 105 catches the stereoimage 107 from different angle of the object 101 by the fly's eye lens103. Thereafter, referring to FIG. 1B, the next step is to process thecaught images through the display apparatus 109 and the fly eye lens tore-built the three-dimension stereo image 110 of the object.

From above, the parallax or optical grating is required within thedisplay by using the visual difference three-dimension image technical.A fly's eye lens is demand within the display to show thethree-dimension image by using the IP three-dimension image technical.The specify display may display the specify three-dimension imagegenerated by specify solution, thus, the three-dimension image will belimited to the display the user employed. If the method to catch theimages is not compatible to the hardware, the three-dimension imagecannot be displayed at all.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To solve the aforementioned problems of the conventional techniques, thepresent invention provides a display apparatus with display switchingmode for displaying 2D, different type of 3D image information byemploying one apparatus.

One advantage of the present invention is to offer a display apparatusfor switching among the 2D, 3D, and IP stereo image.

In one aspect of the present invention, a display apparatus with displayswitching mode is disclosed, it comprises a display device; an imagemode switch device formed corresponding to the display device, whereinthe image mode switch device includes: a liquid crystal layer; a firstelectrode set on a side of the liquid crystal layer; a second electrodeset between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer; a thirdelectrode set on another side of the liquid crystal layer; and a voltageproviding device electrically coupled to the image mode switch device tosupply different voltage to the first electrode, the second electrodeand the third electrode for switching displaying mode; the displayapparatus may display the 2D, 3D and IP stereo image by using theelectrodes with different pattern and voltage with different voltage onthe first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode.

In another aspect of the present invention, a display apparatus withdisplay switching mode is disclosed, it comprises a display device; animage mode switch device formed corresponding to the display device,wherein the image mode switch device includes: a liquid crystal layer; afirst electrode set on a side of the liquid crystal layer; a secondelectrode set between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer;a third electrode set on another side of the liquid crystal layer; and avoltage providing device electrically coupled to the image mode switchdevice to supply different voltage to the first electrode, the secondelectrode and the third electrode for switching displaying mode; whereinthe first electrode includes a first pattern, the second electrodeincluding a second pattern having a first portion and a second portion,wherein the first portion and the second portion have different patternspacing and are constructed by an interdigitated configuration.

The first electrode is constructed by a square frame with pluralities ofhorizontal lines formed therein; the second electrode includes a firstportion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portionare formed by pluralities of vertical lines which are connected by ahorizontal line. Additionally, the vertical lines of the first portionand the second portion are formed in parallel; both horizontal lines areset on sides which are in opposition with each other. The secondelectrode and the third electrode are ground when the display apparatusdisplays two-dimension image. The first electrode is ground, the secondelectrode and the third electrode is supplied with a first voltage whenthe display apparatus displays three-dimension image. The firstelectrode and the third electrode are supplied with a second voltage,and the second portion of the second electrode and the third electrodeare supplied with a third voltage, the first potion of the secondelectrode being ground when the display apparatus displays a stereoimage.

A display apparatus with display switching mode comprises a displaydevice; an image mode switch device formed corresponding to the displaydevice, wherein the image mode switch device includes: a liquid crystallayer; a first electrode set on a side of the liquid crystal layer; asecond electrode set between the first electrode and the liquid crystallayer; a third electrode set on another side of the liquid crystallayer; and a voltage providing device electrically coupled to the imagemode switch device to supply different voltage to the first electrode,the second electrode and the third electrode for switching displayingmode; wherein the first electrode includes a first pattern, the firstpattern being constructed by a grid pattern with pluralities of squareframes; the second electrode includes a second pattern constructing bypluralities of titled lines. The square frame is formed with 1×1 to500×500 pixels.

The first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode areground when the display apparatus displays two-dimension image. Thefirst electrode is ground, the second electrode and the third electrodeis supplied with a first voltage when the display apparatus displaysthree-dimension image. The first electrode and the third electrode aresupplied with a second voltage, and the third electrode is ground whenthe display apparatus displays a stereo image.

These and other advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription of preferred embodiments taken together with theaccompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be understood by some preferred embodimentsand detailed descriptions in the specification and the attached drawingsbelow. The identical reference numbers in the drawings refer to the samecomponents in the present invention. However, it should be appreciatedthat all the preferred embodiments of the invention are only forillustrating but not for limiting the scope of the Claims and wherein:

FIG. 1A-1B illustrate a method of fetching and displaying IP stereoimage technology of the prior art;

FIG. 2A-2C illustrate a display apparatus with the ability of switchingamong 2D, 3, and IP stereo image with one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3A-3B illustrate the first and the second electrode with oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecular fordisplaying 3D and IP image by applying different voltage on the liquidcrystal layer with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5A-5B illustrates further embodiments of first and the secondelectrode of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention will now be described with the preferred embodiments andaspects and these descriptions interpret structure and procedures of theinvention only for illustrating but not for limiting the Claims of theinvention. Therefore, except the preferred embodiments in thespecification, the present invention may also be widely used in otherembodiments.

The present invention discloses a display apparatus which may beswitched among the two-dimension, three-dimension and IP stereo image soas to allow the user may fetch the image information according to theimage type by switching the electrode pattern with specified voltage toalter the display mode, thereby displaying the image of two-dimension,three-dimension or IP stereo image. The stereo image mentioned withinthe present invention refers to the image created by visual differencebare-eye three-dimension technology and the method thereof.

It is because that the arrangement and distribution of the liquidcrystal molecular will be altered based on the electrical fielddistribution, therefore, the twisted angle of the liquid crystal is notthe same under different electrical field distribution caused by theelectrode pattern with different applied voltage. Consequently, theoptical property such as the focal length of the liquid crystal lenswill be change in order to achieve the optical effect of convex lens,concave lens, fly-eye lens or parallax. Thus, the present inventionemploys the different electrode pattern to cause the electrical fileddistribution change, thereby driving the liquid crystal lens to allowthe display apparatus displays the image of two-dimension,three-dimension or IP stereo image according to the type of the displayimage.

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, it shows the display apparatus having the modeto switch among two-dimension, three-dimension or IP stereo image. Theapparatus includes image mode switching device 200, a display device 300and a voltage providing device 400. The image mode switching device 200is responsive to the display device 300 to display the different imageand switch the mode by the voltage providing device 400 to show theeffect of two-dimension, three-dimension or IP stereo image.

Next, referring to FIG. 2B, it illustrates the structure of the imagemode switch device 200 which includes a first glass substrate 201, afirst electrode 202, an isolation layer 203, a second electrode 204, afirst alignment layer 205, a first liquid crystal layer 206, a secondalignment layer 207, a third electrode 208 and a second glass substrate209. The first electrode 202 is disposed adjacent to one side of thefirst liquid crystal layer 206, a second electrode 204 is formed betweenthe first electrode 202 and the first liquid crystal layer 206. Thethird electrode 208 is set on another side of the first liquid crystallayer 206.

The present invention offers different electrode pattern and providesdifferent voltage to the first electrode 202, the second electrode 204and the third electrode 208 so as to cause the liquid crystal molecularin the liquid crystal layer 206 suffers different electrode fielddistribution, thereby changing the arrangement of the liquid crystalmolecular, which leads to the change of optical property. Theillustration of the switch among the two-dimension, three-dimension orIP stereo image is seen as follows.

In one embodiment, the display apparatus may employs the liquid crystaldisplay to carry out the present invention. Turn to FIG. 2C, itillustrates the panel structure of the liquid crystal display 300 whichincludes a first polarizer 301, a third glass substrate 302, a colorlayer 303, a second liquid crystal layer 304, a fourth glass substrate305, and a second polarizer 306. In one embodiment, the image displayswitch mode is set based on the liquid crystal display 300 to switchamong two-dimension, three-dimension or IP stereo image according to theimage information type. Although the liquid crystal panel isillustrated, the detailed structure is omitted, which is well-known bythe person having ordinary skill in the art. It should be noted that thepresent invention uses the liquid crystal panel as an example, the othertype of display can also be implemented in the present invention, thedisplay includes but not limited to organic light emitting display(OLED), plasma display panel (PDP), field emission display (FED).

In some embodiments of the present invention, the first electrode 202,the second electrode 204 and the third electrode 208 are formed by thematerial with high transmittance and high conductivity, for instance, itincludes but not limited to Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Indium Zinc Oxide(IZO). In a preferred embodiment, the first electrode 202, the secondelectrode 204 and the third electrode 208 are formed by ITO. In someembodiments of the present invention, the first alignment layer 205 andthe second alignment layer 207 are Polyimide (PI).

Referring to FIG. 2A again, the image mode switch device 200 iselectrically coupled the voltage providing device 400. Preferably, theimage mode switch device 200 is electrically coupled to the firstelectrode 202, the second electrode 204 and the third electrode 208, tooffers the different voltage to the first electrode 202, the secondelectrode 204 and the third electrode 208. In some embodiments, thevoltage providing device 400 is also electrically coupled to the displaydevice 300 so as to offer voltage on the image mode switch device 200and the display device 300. In another embodiment, the voltage providingdevice 400 can be set in the display device 300 to allow the displaydevice 300 control the action and operation of the image mode switchdevice 200.

FIG. 3A illustrates the structure of the first electrode 202. The ITO isformed on one side of the first glass substrate 201 with rectangularframe having pluralities horizontal lines pattern within the rectangularframe. The manufacture process includes steps of forming a firstelectrode 202 on the first glass substrate 201. The isolation layer 203is subsequently formed on the other side, which is opposite to thesurface of the glass substrate 201, of the first electrode 202, followedby forming the second electrode 204 thereon. The steps may be altered toachieve the same result. Please refer to FIG. 3B, it shows the secondelectrode 204 structure. The second electrode 204 is formed on the otherside of the isolation layer 203, which is opposite to the surface of thefirst electrode 202. In addition, the second electrode 204 is dividedinto a first portion 2041 and a second portion 2042. The first portion2041 and the second portion 2042 are formed by ITO thin film withvertical lines pattern, and are connected by a horizontal line. Thevertical lines of the first portion 2041 and the second portion 2042 areformed in parallel, and the two horizontal lines of the first portion2041 and the second portion 2042 are formed at the opposition sides witheach other. The spacing between the vertical lines of the second portion2042 is wider than the one of the first portion 2041 so as to allow thespacing wide of the second portion 2042 may arrange two vertical linesof the first portion 2041 with equal spacing. The configuration of thefirst portion 2041 and the second portion 2042 constructs as shape by aninterdigitated configuration. Namely, the spacing of the second portion2042 is wider than the one of the first portion 2041. The number of thefingers and the spacing may be design under demand. In addition, thevoltage applied on the electrode is provided according to the spacing toconstruct multiple different electrical field distribution. The thirdelectrode 208 is formed between the second glass substrate 209 and thesecond alignment 207, the third electrode 208 is formed of ITO and iscoated on the entire surface of the second glass substrate 209.

Please refer to FIG. 2B, the different voltage is applied on the firstelectrode 202, the second electrode 204 and third electrode 208 toswitch among the two-dimension, three-dimension or IP stereo image. Theembodiment shows the two-dimension display voltage mode. The voltageproviding device 400 does not offers, namely zero voltage (ground), tothe first electrode 202, the second electrode 204 and third electrode208. The arrangement of the liquid crystal molecular of the first liquidlayer 206 is alignment with order to allow the two-dimension image maydirectly pass through the image mode switch device 200 to display thetwo-dimension image. If the three-dimension is displayed, the firstelectrode 202 is grounded by the voltage providing device 400, andsupplies the second electrode 204 and third electrode 208 with a firstvoltage. In one embodiment, first voltage is around ±1 volt ˜±100 volts.If the user would like to show the IP stereo image, the voltageproviding devices 400 supplies a second voltage to the first electrode202 and the third electrode 208, and applies a third voltage on thesecond portion 2042 of the second electrode 204 and, and the firstportion 2041 of the second electrode 204 is grounded. It should be notedthat the spacing of the first portion 2041 and the second portion 2042is different. In one embodiment, the second voltage is around ±1 volt˜±100 volts; the third voltage is around ±1 volt ˜±100 volts. The secondvoltage is different from the third voltage. It should be noted that thesecond voltage and the third voltage is higher than the first voltage.

Turning to FIG. 4 and FIG. 2B, the aforementioned different voltage isoffered to the first electrode 202, the second electrode 204 and thirdelectrode 208 of the image mode switch device 200 to arrange the liquidcrystal molecular of the first liquid crystal layer 206 with orderhaving a spacing d to achieve the effect of optical grating. When the IPstereo image is displayed, the spacing of the arranged liquid crystalmolecular is D to achieve the fly-eye effect. The voltage providingdevice 400 may offer different voltage on the first electrode 202, thesecond electrode 204 and third electrode 208 of the image mode switchdevice 200 based on the different display mode to achieve the purpose ofdisplaying two-dimension, three-dimension and IP stereo image. Further,the real image and virtual image of the apparatus can be controlledbased on the different voltage.

Another embodiment of the present invention is referred to FIG. 5A, itshows the first electrode 202 structure. The first electrode 202 isformed on one of the surfaces of the first glass substrate with gridpattern having pluralities of square frames. The dimension of eachsquare frame is about 1×1 pixel to 500×500 pixels. Similarly, the firstelectrode 202 is formed on the first glass substrate 201, followed byforming the isolation layer 203 on the other surface, which is oppositeto the first glass substrate 201, of the first electrode 202.Thereafter, the second electrode 204 is formed as shown in FIG. 5B. Thesequence of the formation can be switched. Please refer to FIG. 5B, itshows the second electrode 204 structure. The second electrode 204 isformed on the surface, which is opposite to the first electrode, of theisolation layer 203. The second electrode 204 is formed by ITO thin filmwith square frame. Pluralities of titled lines are constructed withinthe square frame. Namely, the pattern is formed with pluralities oftitled lines. The third electrode 208 is formed between the second glasssubstrate 209 and the second alignment 207. The third electrode 208 isformed with ITO thin film which is coated on the entire surface of thesecond glass substrate 209.

The different electrode pattern in accompany with the different voltageis illustrated for the first electrode 202, the second electrode 204 andthe third electrode 208 to achieve the purpose of switching among thetwo-dimension, the three-dimension and the IP stereo image. In oneembodiment, the first voltage is around ±1 volt ˜±100 volts; When the IPstereo image is displayed, the voltage providing device 400 may let thepotential of the second electrode 204 is ground; and offers a secondvoltage on the first electrode 201 and the third electrode 208, thesecond voltage is around ±1 volt ˜±100 volts. Therefore, the presentinvention may allow the liquid crystal layer 206 creates visualdifferent grating or optical grating when the three-dimension image isdisplay; while the liquid crystal layer 206 creates fly eye lens whenthe IP stereo image is display. It should be noted that the secondvoltage is higher than the first voltage.

Therefore, the present invention may perform the display of 2D, 3D or IPstereo image by using the image mode switch device 200 to allow the userdisplay any type of image, and display the clear 2D, 3D or IP stereoimage through the image mode switch device 200 and the display device300.

The foregoing description is a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is describedfor purposes of illustration only, not for limiting, and that numerousalterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It isintended that all such modifications and alterations are includedinsofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or theequivalents thereof.

1. A display apparatus with display switching mode comprising: a display device; an image mode switch device formed corresponding to said display device, wherein said image mode switch device includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first electrode set on a side of said liquid crystal layer; a second electrode set between said first electrode and said liquid crystal layer; a third electrode set on another side of said liquid crystal layer; and a voltage providing device electrically coupled to said image mode switch device to supply different voltage to said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode for switching displaying mode; wherein said first electrode includes a first pattern, said second electrode including a second pattern having a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion and said second portion have different pattern spacing and are constructed by an interdigitated configuration.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a spacing of said second portion is wider than the one of said first portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a spacing wide of said second portion arranges two vertical lines of said first portion with equal spacing.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode are ground when said display apparatus displays two-dimension image.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first electrode is ground, said second electrode and said third electrode being supplied with a first voltage when said display apparatus displays three-dimension image.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first electrode and said third electrode are supplied with a second voltage, and said second portion of said second electrode and said third electrode being supplied with a third voltage, said first potion of said second electrode being ground when said display apparatus displays a stereo image.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode are formed with ITO.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode are formed with IZO.
 9. A display apparatus with display switching mode comprising: a display device; an image mode switch device formed corresponding to said display device, wherein said image mode switch device includes: a liquid crystal layer; a first electrode set on a side of said liquid crystal layer; a second electrode set between said first electrode and said liquid crystal layer; a third electrode set on another side of said liquid crystal layer; and a voltage providing device electrically coupled to said image mode switch device to supply different voltage to said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode for switching displaying mode; wherein said first electrode includes a first pattern, said first pattern being constructed by a grid pattern with pluralities of square frames; said second electrode includes a second pattern constructing by pluralities of titled lines.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said square frame is formed with 1×1 to 500×500 pixels.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode are ground when said display apparatus displays two-dimension image.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first electrode is ground, said second electrode and said third electrode being supplied with a first voltage when said display apparatus displays a stereo image.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first electrode and said third electrode are supplied with a second voltage, and said third electrode being ground when said display apparatus displays a stereo image.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode are formed with ITO.
 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first electrode, said second electrode and said third electrode are formed with IZO. 